The ability of detergent compositions to clean a large variety of soils and stains from the numerous types of fabrics present in the typical load of laundry, as well as cleaning of other surfaces (e.g., hard surfaces, hair, etc.) is of high importance in the evaluation of detergent performance. One type of surfactant which has been of value due to its good overall cleaning ability, particularly its excellent grease/oil cleaning performance over a wide temperature range (including relatively low temperatures) encompasses the linear alkylbenzene sulfonates ("LAS"). Whereas LAS-containing surfactant systems have performed admirably, it would be desirable to provide surfactant systems which could provide comparable levels of overall cleaning ability, including grease/oil cleaning, over a wide range of temperature and materials, wherein the major surfactant ingredients utilized could viably be derived primarily or even entirely from natural, renewable, non-petroleum resources. In particular, since a significant portion of LAS is typically petroleum-derived, it would be desirable to reduce or even eliminate the content of LAS while still maintaining excellent overall cleaning ability.
Conventional nonionic surfactants can provide generally acceptable cleaning, but typically require relatively long wash times, high wash temperatures, and high surfactant concentration to achieve effective grease/oil cleaning.
One type of surfactant that has been proposed and that can be derived largely or entirely from renewable, non-petroleum raw materials, encompasses the alkyl ester sulfonates, such as but not limited to methyl ester sulfonates. However, these surfactants do not by themselves offer the desired levels of overall cleaning performance, especially in the area of grease/oil cleaning. Furthermore, even upon combination of alkyl ester sulfonates with conventional co-surfactants such as alkyl ethoxylates, the desired levels of cleaning performance for a broad range of wash conditions are difficult to obtain.
It has now been found-that improved detersive surfactant systems containing alkyl ester sulfonate can be obtained through the use of such alkyl ester sulfonates in combination with certain polyhydroxy fatty acid amide surfactants. Furthermore, the polyhydroxy fatty acid amides can be derived mainly or entirely from natural, renewable, non-petroleum raw materials.